Centrifugal casting-machine.



J. M. ALLEN.

GBNTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.17, 1910.

Patented 0013.4, 1910.

y MHMWIHVUWWIM l A-io smear.

. JAMES M. ALLEN, or sr. LoUIs, MIsso'URI',AssIGNoE 'ro MARTIN .EELLIIAUEia' 0E s'r.

l. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CENTRIEUGAL CASTING-MACHINE.

speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

Application led February 17, 1910. Serial No. 544,505.

To all whom 'it may concern:

`Be it known that I, JAMES M.l ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, andresident of St.. Louis, Missouri, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Casting-Machines, of'which the follow-v ing` is a specification containing a full,- clear,

and exact description, reference being had4 to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates. to improvements inA the machine 'is at a maximum speed as re-v quired to take advantage of the fluidity of the metal employed in making the casting.

For the above purposes my invention con.-` sists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out l,in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the coniplete machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional elevation of the machine taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3is a detail, sectional .elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

and Fig. 4 is a detail, plan illustrating the connection between the flask and counterbalancing Weight-carrying arm and-the machine proper. l

1 designates thev base section. lof the machine frame, 2 the integral standards and 3 the journal bearing supported upon the standards and preferably formed integral therewith. The `journal bearing 3 is provided at one ofits ends-With any integral, annular flange 4 and at the end of the bearing 3 opposed to the end carrying the flange 4 there is an annular reduction 5. Mounted fon rotation Within lthe bearing 3 is a shaft 6 which is of reater length than the bearing and projects eyond the' bearing at each of its ends. Embracing the annular reduction 5 4is a collar 7, and'carried by the collar,

vpreferably formed integral therewith, is an l yond the periphery of the collar,

rof the branch of the and `pivotally carried bythe ear 10 `isa pawl 11.

12 designates a spring connecting the' pawl 11 and collar 7 and is arranged to normally hold the plawl upwardly. v Embracing `t e shaft. 6 and impinging against thefjournal bearing 3 and collar 7 1s a retaining collar 13 which is provided with an integral` flange -14 in which is formed a series of teeth15t he collar 13 being secured to the shaft and rotatable therewith by means of thev pin 16. Carried by the shaft' at its end opposed to the end car# `ryingY the collar 13 is j a T-coupling 17 which is secured to the shaft 6 by means ofthe set screw 18. Formed upon the end T-coupling paralleling the journal bearing 3 is an annular flange 19. The flange 19 of the T-coupling 17v and the flange 4, formed integral with the journal bearing 3, are provided respectively with slots 20 and 21.

`22 designates a bell crank lever which is pivotally mounted in perforated ears 23 formed integral with the T-coupling 17.

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One end portion of the lever 22 is designed to enter the slots 20 and 21 for the pur ose of locking the T-coupling to the journa bearing for purposes hereinafter made clear. 24: designates a contractile coil'spring arf ranged to normally hold the bell crank lever 22 out of engagement with said slots.

Carried by the T-coupling 17 is an arm 25 which is locked against movement longitudinally of the T-c'oupling by means of the set screw 26.

27 designates a head carried by one end portion o the arm25 which is arranged lto receive and hold a flask 28.

On thel end of the armA 25, opposed to the end carrying the flask, is provided a weight 29 which may be moved longitudinally of the arm and secured against movement by means of the set screw 30.- The Weight 29 is provided for the -purpose of counterbalancing the Weight of lthe flask. j

-Secured' to the base 1 and arranged on the side thereof beneath the right hand end of the shaft is a pair of hooks 31 and connected therewith are the contractile coil springs 32. The opposite ends of the springs are connected with a hanger 33 which is insertesd through the perforation 9 of the lever i The collar 7 is provided with an extension' 34 arranged to receive a lever 35, the end of which is reduced where it unites with the extension 34.

In the practical operation of the machine,

the parts are assembled as shown, and by` weight 29 is positioned to counterbalance the prepared flask. The lever35 is then placed inposition and manually operated, thereby moving the lever 8 and storing power 1n the springs 32. The pawl 11 is then manually l moved against the tension of the spring 12 l to a position engaging the ratchet teeth 15 and at the Sametime the bell crank lever 22 is brought to a position within the slots: 20 and 2l. As the operator releases the lever the locking devices, that is the pawl 11 and bell crank lever 22, will be held in lookin positions frictionally, that is they are he d against. the ratchet teeth and said slots b the pressure of the springs 32.

After t e machine has been thus set the lever 35 is removed. The ask is then filled with molten metal and immediately afterV the'iilling of the flask the operator moves the lever 22 out of engagement with the slots 2O and 21, then, by reason of the power stored in the springs 32, and by reason of the springs being connected to an arm some considerable distance from the center 'of the bearingshaft' of the machine, motion is imparted to the shaft from the force of said springs through the pawl and ratchet connection and the flask 1s rapidly rotated and the centrifugal force imparted to the molten metal within the flasksuiices to drive the metal into the mold and to conform it to all surfaces" and angles within the mold, thereby dispelling any`.air,'gas, steam or other force opposlng the entrance of metal to the mold and displacing such air, gas or steam with the metal carried by the sprue or riser thereby formin a true casting. j

To persons familiar with the art it is known that the molten metal supplied to the flask will rapidly con eal and harden by eX- posure. Thus, it is o vious that it is necessary that the centrifugal-forcej be applied as soon after the pouring as possible and that the centrifuga force is solely dependent upon the d of rotation of the iiask.

It is obvious that by reason of my attaching my driving springs to a lever' and connecting the lever with the driving shaft the springs will exert a maximum speed tothe shaft, thereby applying themaximum centrifugal foree to the metal during the time t of its mam'mum-fluidity. f

I. amaware that prior to my invention. -there have been spring operatedcentrifugal casting machines. These machines were usually constructed with a helical spring secured at one end directly tothe driving shaft thereby not obtaining a maximum speed upon the initial rotation ofthe shaft for the reason that thespringkmust necessarily, partially unwind before the maximum speed is obtalned.

By -reason of the construction of the jour;` 1

nal bearing having its reduced end for supporting the -collar 7 instead of supporting the collar upon the shaft I'reduce to a minimum the' friction which, might oppose the free rotationo'f the shaft.

I claim:

tatable shaft, a flask carriedby the shaft', an arm carried by the shaft, a contractile coil spring carried by-the arm and means for locking 'the arm at times against movement relative the shaft.

1. In acentrifugal castingmachine, a ro# 2. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotatable shaft, a bearing for the shaft, an arm carried by the shaft and rotatable ltherewith, means .for locking said arm and shaft against rotation relative the bearing, a flaskl carried by said arm, a lever rotatably mounted relative the shaft, means for locking vthe lever against rotation at times relative the shaft and springs secured to the free end of said lever.

3. In a centrifugal casting machine, 'a bearing, `a shaft rotatably mounted in the bearing, an arm carried by and rotatable with said shaft, means for locking the arm against movement at times relative the shaft, a ask carriedby one end of said arm, a Weight for counterbalancing the flask carried by the opposite end of the arm, a collar embracing the bearing, a lever carried by the collar, springs secured to the free end of said lever and means to lock saidycollar against movement at timosrelative the shaft.

4. In a.. centrifugal casting machine, la bearing, a flange'having a slot carried by one end of the bearing, a shaft rotatably mounted within the bearing, a T-coupling secured to and rotatable with the shaft, a iange carried b the T-coupling, there being a slot in said ange, means carried by the T-coupling for lengagement with both of said slots for locking the coupling againstr movement relative the bearing, an` arm carried by the T-coupling, a flask carried by lbearing, a flange having a slot carried by one end of the bearing, a shaft rotatably 'mounted' within the bearing, a T-coupling secured to and rotatable with the shaft, a flange carried by the T-coupling, there being a slot in said flange, means carried by the T-coupling for engagement with both yof said slots for locking the coupling against.

movement relative the bearing, an .arm carried bythe T-coupling, a flask carried by one end of said arm, a`counterba1ancing Weight carried by the opposite endof the arm, a collar embracing the' bearing, an arm carried by the collar, springs acting oli said arm, a collar embracing the shaft and secured against movement relative'the shaft, a pawl and ratchet connection between said collars, and a lever detachably secured to. said first mentioned collar.

6. ln a centrifugal casting machine, a

bearing, a shaft rotatably mounted in the sition, a flask carried by the arm, means for counterbalancing the weight zof said flask, a .collar loosely mounted on the bearing, an

arm carried by the collar, aspring acting on said arm, a collar embracing the shaftand secured against movement thereon, a pawl and rato et connection between said .collars and means for holding they pawl normally in an inoperative posit-lon.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my I name to this specification, in presence of two subscmbmg witnesses.

JAMESM. ALLEN. Witnesses:

N. G. BUTLER,

E. L. WALLACE. 

